John vermeulen



(No Model.) v

J. VERMBULEN. KNIFE POLISHER.

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W/TNESSES THE NUIRIS PEYERS C0., PNCTD-LIYNO., WASNINGYON, D. C

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

JOHN VERMEULEN, OF NEW YORK, N.' Y.

KNIFE-POLISHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 434,365, dated August12, 1890. Application filed January 14, 1890. Serial No. 336,878. (Nomodel.)

` in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts inall the figures.

Figure l isa side elevation of the improvement. Fig.2 is a plan view ofthe saine. Fig.

3 is a transverse section of the same on the line 0c of` Fig. l. Fig. 4is a similar view of the same on the line y y of Fig. l. Fig. 5 is aface view of a sharpening-roller of modified form. Fig. 6 is a sideelevation of the same, and Fig. 7 is a plan view of the spring-plate forholding the stationary strap in place.

The improved knife-polisher` is provided with a suitably-constructedbed-plate A, from one end of which, at the under side, extends anLshaped arm B, in which screws a screw C, for securely fastening thebed-plate A to a table or bench. On the front end of the bedplate A ismounted a lknife-polishing device D, provided with a fixedpolishing-strap E and a yieldingly-mounted strap F, of which the latteris located above the former, and between which the knife to be polishedis placed,

as hereinafter more fully described.

The straps E and F are preferably made of leather.; but other suitablematerial may be employed. The strap E is stretched trans- Versely overpart of the bed-plate A, and has its ends extending downward and overthe downwardly and inwardly inclined lugs or iianges A', formed on theunder side of the bed-plate A. The ends of the strapE are securely heldin place by a spring-plate G pressing the ends of the strap against theinclined lugs A', as is plainly shown in Fig. 3. Vhen the strap E isworn out, it can be easily and conveniently replaced by prying thespringplate G from under the bed-plate A, then rcmoving the worn-outstrap, replacing it by a new one, and then again inserting the springlplate G, as above described. The other strap F is passed under a plateH, provided at its sides with upwardly and inwardly bent lugs or .p 5` 5fiangesH, overwhich pass the ends of the strap F, which are held inplace at the inside of the said lugs or flanges by a spring-plate I,similar 1 to the spring-plate G, previously mentioned. At the inner endof the plate H are formed up- 6o wardly-eXtending lugs J, each providedwitha vertical slot J', through which pass the ends of a pin K, held inthe lugs A2 erected on the bed-plate A, as is shown in Fig. 2. Thevertical slots J in the lugs J permit the plate H to rise parallell withthe bed-plate A, and also to swing upward whena wedge-shaped knife isinserted between the two straps E and F, the pin K thus being thefulcrum.

On the pin K, between the lugs A2, is coiled 7o a spring L, having itsmiddle part extended upward to engage a screw N, screwing in a lug O,formed on an offset O, held on the rear of the bed-plate Aand formingpart of the knifesharpening device. The ends of the spring L extend atabout right angles to the upwardly -bent or middle part of the saidspring and press on thetop of the plate H, so as to hold the strap F ofthe latter against the strap E or against the knifewhen inserted.

In the middle of the plate H is formed a hopper P, which opens throughan aperture F in the strap F upon the stationary strap E. This hopper isadapted to receive the polishing material, which can pass from thehopper through the opening F between the two straps E and F, or upon theknife when inserted between the two straps. l

The offset O, previously mentioned, and forming part of theknife-sharpening device, 9o is provided with a vertically-extending slotO2, into the lower part of which pass the rims of the twosharpening-rollers R and R', secured on shafts Q and Q', mounted in theoffset O,parallel with the sides ofthe slot O2. Each of the rollers Rand R has V-shaped annular ridges R2 on its periphery. The outer sharpedges of the V-shaped ridges nearly y touch the center of the slot O2,as is plainly shown in Fig. 1, so that when a knife is inroo sertedinthe slot O2 and pressed down on the rollers, and drawn inward oroutward, its

held between the two wheels and adapted to engage oppositely-arrangedteeth, so as to prevent the said wheels from turning to hold the rollersR and R in place. The plate T is secured at one' end on atransversely-exA tending shaft U, arranged to slide in suitable bearingsin the offset O, and provided at its.

outer end with a head U, on which presses one end of a spring V, held ina suitable recess O3 of the offset O. The spring Vhas the tendencytopress the head U outward, thus holding the plate Tin contact with thefront face of the offset O, at the same `time engaging the said platewith the toothed wheels S and S. Then the rollers R and R have becomeworn by use at the point which extends into the slot O2, then theoperator presses on the head U of the shaft U, so as to shift the shaftU inward, thereby disengaging the plate T from the notched wheels S andS. The operator can then turn the notched wheels the distance of one ormore teeth, so that new points of the ridges R2 of the rollers R and Rcome in the slot O2.

The device is used as follows: The bedplate A is secured in a suitablemanner to a table, bench, or bracket, and when the operator now desiresto polish a knife he first fills the hopper P with a polishing materialand then inserts the knife between the straps E and F in such a mannerthat the knife-edge extends toward the pin K. The spring L then pressesthe strap F firmly in contact with the top of the knife, while thebottom of theknife rests on the lower stationary strap E. As the knifeis usually wedge-shaped in cross-section, the upper strap F assumes aninclined position, turning on the pin K, as previously described. Thetension with which the spring L presses on the plate H can be regulatedvby adjusting the screw N, so that the spring L presses with more or lessforce on the knife to be polished. The operator then moves theknife-blade transversely between the two straps E and F, so that it ispolished by the said straps and the polishing material passing to thesaid straps vand the knife, as is previously described. When the knifehas been `polished or cleaned and the operator desires to sharpen it, heplaces the knife-blade in a vertical position with the knife-.edge down.

ward and inserts it in theslot Q2 until the knife-edge rests on theV-shaped ridges R2` The operator then draws the knife-blade transverselyseveral times, pressing down on it so as to hold the. knife-ed ge firmlyin contact with the V-shaped of the rollers R and R.

ridges of the rollers R and R while drawing the knife forward andbackward. The knife is thus sharpened.

The sharpening-rollers R and R may each be made of solid steel or of aseries of washers placed on the respect-ive shaft Q or Q', as shown inFigs. 5 and G. In order to hold the washers on the shaft, the latter isprovided with a attened side, and a corresponding aperture is formed ineach washer.

It will be seen that the device is very simple in construction, can becheaply manufactured, and will form an indispensable household article.

The knifesharpening devices are not claimed herein, but will form thesubject of a separate application.

Having thus fully described my invention, l claimas new and desire tosecure by Letters Patentl. A knife-polisher consisting in the stationaryplate A, having depending parallel ribs or ianges A A along its sideedges, a strap E, passed over the plate and around the said ribs orflanges, a spring clamping-plate extending from rib to rib and clampingthe ends of the strip against said ribs, and an upper spring-pressedplate having parallel upwardly-projecting ribs or flanges H along itsside edges, a strap F, passed along the lower face of said plate andhaving its ends folded over said ribs or flanges, and a clamping-plateextending from one rib Il to the other. and clamping said overturnedends thereto, substantially as set forth.

2. Thecombination, with the lower plate and its polishing-strap, of avertically-movable spring-pressed plate having upwardlyprojectingparallel ribs or flanges Il along its side edges and a hopper P on topof and opening through the plate between said fianges, the strapextending along the lower face of the plate and having its ends foldedover said ribs, and the spring-plate I, extending from rib to rib andhaving an opening between its marginal edges to pass the said hopper,substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the plate A, having vertical lugs A2 at one endof the polishing-strap passed over said plate, of the plate H, providedwith lugs .l parallel with the lugs A2 and having vertical stops J', apin passed through the lugs A2 into said slots, a polishing-strapsecured to plate Il, aspring L, passed around said pin, bearing at itsends on top of plate H and having a loop above the plate, and aset-screw passed through the loop for adjusting the spring,substantially as set forth.

Il. A polisher consisting in the bed-plate A, having an attaching clamp,parallel depending ribs A A along its side edges, lugs A2, lug O aboveand between said lugs A2, the strap passed over said plate and havingits ends folded over said ribs, the spring-plate G, sprung between saidfolded ends and clamping them against said ribs, the plate H, having acentral hopper opening through it on itsupper side, lugs at its innerend having vertical slots, and ribs lll along its side edges,

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the strap F, the ends of which fold over the ribs H, the spring-plate I,sprung between said folded ends and clamping them to the ribs, thepin-K, the spring L, passed around said pin, with its ends resting onplate H at opposite sides of the hopper and looped above the pin, andthe set-screw N, mounted on the lng O and engaging said loop,substantially as set forth.

JOHN VERMEULEN.

.Witnessesz THEO. G. HOSTER, EDGAR TATE.

